Astilbe plant named ‘Verssilvery Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astilbe  plant named ‘Verssilvery Pink’, characterized by its compact, upright and strong plant habit; strong and healthy foliage; freely and uniformly flowering habit; light pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astilbe arendsii×Astilbe japonica.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Verssilvery Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe,botanically known as Astilbe arendsii×Astilbe japonica and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Verssilvery Pink’.

The new Astilbe plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program was to create new strong Astilbe cultivars withattractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Astilbe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2001 in Haarlem, The Netherlands, of an unnamed Astilbearendsii seedling selection, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with an unnamed Astilbe japonica seedling selection, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Astilbe was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Haarlem, The Netherlands in 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe plant by divisions in acontrolled environment in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands since thesummer of 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Astilbeplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Astilbe have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Verssilvery Pink’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Verssilvery Pink’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Astilbe:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and strong plant habit.    -   2. Strong and healthy foliage.    -   3. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.    -   4. Cerise-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the parentselections in plant height and flowering habit as plants of the newAstilbe are more compact and more freely flowering than plants of theparent selections.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of Astilbe arendsii‘Europa’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inHaarlem, The Netherlands, plants of the new Astilbe and the cultivarEuropa differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Astilbe were more compact than plants of        ‘Europa’.    -   2. Plants of the new Astilbe were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Europa’.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Astilbe were darker in color        than flowers of plants of ‘Europa’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Astilbe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Astilbe.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Verssilvery Pink’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘Verssilvery Pink’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view ofthe upper surface of a typical leaf of ‘Verssilvery Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in containers in Afferden, TheNetherlands, under commercial practice in during the early summer in anoutdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 27° C. andnight temperatures ranging from 4° C. to 16° C. Plants had been growingfor two years when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astilbe arendsii×Astilbe japonica    ‘Verssilvery Pink’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed Astilbe arendsii seedling            selection, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed Astilbe japonica seedling            selection, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Compact, upright and            strong plant habit; roughly triangular. Flowering stems and            leaves basal; dense and bushy growth habit; moderate to low            vigor. Freely and uniformly flowering with numerous flowers            on branched panicles.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate to slow; from divisions, about 28            weeks are required to produce fully-grown flowering plants.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 22.5            cm.        -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About            34.6 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 30.1 cm.        -   Stem description.—Length: About 13.4 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: About 4.3 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 152A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; biternately compound.        -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 9.6 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 8.2 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet length.—About 3.1 cm.        -   Lateral leaflet width.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet length.—About 3.7 cm.        -   Terminal leaflet width.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet shape.—Elliptic.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet base.—Rounded.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet margin.—Biserrate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet texture, upper surface.—Smooth,            glabrous.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet texture, lower            surface.—Sparsely pubescent; slightly rough.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Lateral and terminal leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper            surface: Close to 143B. Developing leaves, lower surface:            Close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Between            137A and 141A; venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to            148C.        -   Leaf petiole length.—About 5.4 cm.        -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Leaflet petiole length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Leaflet petiole width.—About 1.5 mm.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole texture, upper and lower            surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper and lower            surfaces.—Between 144B to 144C and 148A; at the nodes, close            to 187C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Numerous single rotate flowers arrange on            terminal branched panicles; flowers fact upright, outward or            downward depending on position on the panicle. Panicles            conical in shape. Freely and uniformly flowering habit with            about 1,000 flowers and flower buds per inflorescence.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering during the            summer to late summer in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the            plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 62A to 62B; towards the base,            close to 145B.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 21.5 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10.7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 4 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Lobe width: About 1 mm. Shape:            Narrowly oblanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Developing petals, upper surface: Close to 69A to 69B.            Developing petals, lower surface: Close to 65A to 65B. Fully            expanded petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 69B to            69C; color becoming close to 69D with development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base; campanulate calyx. Length:            About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing sepals, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 157A; towards the apex and            margins, close to 186C. Fully expanded sepals, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to N155B to N155C; towards the apex            and margins, flushed with close to 65C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 20.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 150B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Angle:            About 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N155B to N155C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            ten; anthers basifixed. Filament length: About 2 mm. Anther            shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 0.3 mm. Anther color:            Close to 155D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to            N155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Two. Pistil length:            About 1.8 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close            to 69D. Style length: About 1.5 mm. Style color: Close to            69C to 69D. Ovary color: Close to 69D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Astilbe have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astilbe.-   Garden performance:

Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to have good gardenperformance and tolerate rain, wind and high temperatures of about 35°C. Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to be hardy to USDA Zone5.

1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘Verssilvery Pink’ asillustrated and described.